French imperialism engulfs Mali

Abayomi Azikiwe

The Herald Online
February 18, 2013

French defence ministry officials have said that they are planning to make a withdrawal from Mali by April. Since January 11, when the French military began to bomb and launch a ground invasion into

this resource-rich country, the government in Paris has declared that its operations are limited and they were only there as a precursor to the intervention of a regional force from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).
Although several thousand troops from various African states, including Chad, Nigeria as well as the national army of Mali, have entered the battle alongside the French, the former colonial power also made an appeal for the United Nations to take over the operations which are really designed to secure the resources of Mali for the benefit of Western industrialised states.
Earlier UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had publicly stated that direct intervention by the international body would jeopardise its personnel carrying out humanitarian work inside the country and throughout the region.
On February 10, in the northern city of Gao, armed combatants opened fire on Malian military forces in the downtown area. Soon French helicopters entered the fray firing into areas in the centre of the city in a battle that lasted well into the evening.
According to a report of the fierce battle published by the Associated Press, “The attack in Gao shows the Islamic fighters, many of them well-armed and with combat experience, are determined and daring and it foreshadows a protracted campaign by France and other nations to restore government control in this vast Saharan nation in north-west Africa.
“The Islamic radicals fought against the Malian army throughout the afternoon and were seen roaming the streets and on rooftops in the center of Gao, which has a population of 90 000. (Feb. 10)
“The fighters involved in this round of clashes were thought to be from the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MOJWA). Since the French were reported to have entered Gao on January 26, MOJWA has been firing on their military units from outside the city.” French General Bernard Barera claimed that the MOJWA combatants utilised small boats to cross the Niger River into Gao. On February 9 a bomb was detonated at a checkpoint near the entrance of the city.
Abdoul Abdoulaye Sidibe, a member of the Malian parliament based in the capital of Bamako in the south of the country, said that MOJWA had held Gao prior to the French intervention. In relationship to the battle that began on February 10, Sidibe said that, “There was a whole group of them who took up positions in front of the police station and started firing in all directions.” (Globe and Mail, Feb. 10). Just two days before on February 8, a reported suicide bomber driving a motorcycle detonated explosives at the same entrance to Gao. During the fighting on February 10, people remained in their homes to avoid injury and no civilian casualties have been officially acknowledged.
During the clashes on February 10, a police station was taken over by the MOJWA guerrillas. The next day, February 11, French combat helicopters bombed the station in an effort to drive out the fighters.
Journalists who observed the French military assault on the police station said that the building was destroyed and bodies were left lying in the rubble.
These clashes over a three-day period illustrate clearly that the previous claims by France that the targeted groups had been driven from the cities and towns of Konna, Gao, Sevare, Timbuktu and other areas must be viewed with skepticism. (Al Arabiya, Feb. 11)
French military spokesmen have also claimed that the Islamist groups have fled into the north-east mountainous region of Adrar des Ifoghas. Fighter jets have been carrying out bombing operations under the guise of destroying the bases of the fighters and disrupting their supply lines in the area.
The overall security situation in Gao has been deteriorating for several weeks. A number of Malian soldiers have been reported killed by landmine explosions on the main road leading further north.

PAMBAZUKA NEWS.

Abayomi Azikiwe is editor, Pan-African News Wire.